How to say "pick" in Japanese

• 選ぶえらぶJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'pick' in the sense of choosing: picking a restaurant, a gift, or a team from among options. Nothing is physically removed — this is simply 'choose' or 'select'.
  どうやって新鮮しんせんな魚さかなをえらぶのですか。↗

  How can I pick out fresh fish?
• 摘むつむCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbUsed for picking or plucking flowers, buds, or tea leaves from a plant. For picking fruit such as apples, もぐ is the word to use.
  キャシーは花はなを摘つむのをやめました。↗

  Cathy stopped picking flowers.
• ピックCommon
  nounA noun, not a verb: the pick as an object, i.e. a plectrum for playing a guitar. When you want the verb 'to pick', this katakana word is not what you need.
• 精鋭せいえいCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveA noun meaning the pick or cream of the crop — the elite, best members of a group. It is a noun only: for physically picking things, use 摘む or もぐ.
• もぐCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbPicking fruit from a tree or plant, typically by twisting it free — apples, for example. The word is usually written in kana alone rather than with kanji.
  あなたがこれらのりんごをもいだ木きがみたいものだ。↗

  I would like to see the trees from which you picked these apples.

Use 「選ぶ」 for choosing among options, 「摘む」 for plucking flowers or buds, 「もぐ」 for picking fruit, 「ピック」 for the guitar plectrum, and 精鋭 for the pick of a group.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 選ぶえらぶto choose
• 摘むつむto pick
• ピックpick
• 精鋭せいえいelite
• もぐto pluck (esp. by twisting from a tree)
• 摘み取るつみとるto pluck
• 候補こうほcandidate
• 折るおるto break
• ばちplectrum (for a shamisen, biwa, etc.)
• つるはしpickaxe
• くじるto stick into and move around
• 毟るむしるto pluck
• ほじるto dig up
• もぎ取るもぎとるto pluck off (esp. by twisting)
• 選び取るえらびとるto choose (and take)
• せせるto pick at (e.g. with chopsticks)
• もぎるto pluck (e.g. an apple)
• かっぽじるto dig up
• 逸物いちもつfirst-rate specimen
• 爪つめplectrum
• 仕掛けるしかけるto challenge
• ちぎるto pick (e.g. fruit)
• 採るとるto pick (e.g. flowers)
• 吹きかけるふきかけるto pick (a fight)
• 狩るかるto go looking for (flowers, etc.)
• ふっかけるto pick (a fight)
• 取るとるto pick (e.g. flowers)
• 売るうるto pick (a fight, quarrel, etc.)